Relay racing: Fast lane for athletes

Speed coach specialist Kerry Hill shows Lucy Brown and her Collegiate team mates the virtical push relay baton change method during a training clinic at Cooks Gardens on Wednesday.

A push to introduce a uniform relay style into New Zealand schools began with the best in Whanganui on Wednesday.

Nationally recognised speed coach Kerry Hill from Tauranga hosted three hour-long sessions with different Wanganui Collegiate School age group athletes focusing on relay performance.

While this was a one-off clinic, Hill said it signalled the beginning of a nationwide push into schools to introduce a uniform style.

"I thought why not start with the best," Hill said.

"Wanganui Collegiate has by far the best record of any school when it comes to relays. We are looking to change to a more modern system and this is the result of studying the best of the dozen countries over a dozen years. Much of that study was done under a Prime Minister's scholarship."

The new style involved the all important baton change (both left and right handovers) and the start stance with his first session featuring three of the record-breaking Collegiate junior girls relay team - Genna Maples, Tayla Brunger and Emma Osborne. The same trio are off to represent New Zealand schools in Australia. The fourth relay team member and also off to Australia, Grace Godfrey, was among the senior girls in an afternoon session with Hill.

"The style is a move away from that used by the most disqualified relays countries in the world - the United States and Britain," Hill said.

"Surprisingly, the the most consistent include Brazil, Poland and Japan. Instead of the traditional sprinter's three point starting stance, we are promoting an upright start for relays and that sets the runners up for the change over. This is what studies have shown."

Hill said while speed was hugely important, completing the relay with baton in hand was paramount.

"Don't think about the end result, if you don't hand over cleanly there will be no result."
Athletics Wanganui and Collegiate athletics coach Alec McNab, who is also nationally recognised as one of the best, said it was important to have a uniform style and Hill's input was hugely beneficial to young developing athletes.

Hill is a former director of coaching for Athletics New Zealand who has begun working with the New Zealand Sevens rugby squad to improve speed.